For the Sake of Example

306 British servicemen (which in those days included all the countries of the, then, Empire) were executed by their comrades in WW1. A visit to the Western Front inspired the poem which, years later, I turned into this video. To learn more about the film maker visit www.davewindle.com

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• shot
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• dawn.
• execution
• trenches
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[dewARTvideo]

Actually jonwvin that's not quite true. There was an Australian who joined the NZ army and was one of those executed in WW1.

Admittedly he wasn't classed as an Australian soldier.

[THthefirst]

@dewARTvideo No, only the parts you want to hear.

To be reasoned you have to take both sides of the debate, not hand pick those that agree with you.

90% of the death sentences were not carried out and the men who were shot had records of repeatedly leaving their post etc.

Many thousands did not leave their posts but stayed, regardless of their fear. They all knew what the penalty was.

You simply cannot impose 2010 values on the first world war.

As i say, widen your perspective

[meadeETX125pe]

AConcernedBlogger

Wasn't that quote "A good thing for morale would have been his resignation and suicide" first made by a certain Captain Edmund Blackadder.........

[jan1035]

@andrewkenworthy you're right, this needless war where thousands of men were sacrificed for just a few meters of land. I've heard from eyewitnesses that soldiers on their way to the front, made sheep sounds while parading in front of their officers. They knew they were sacrificed like sheep.

[carltonlost]

5872steve there was a right of appeal it went up the chain from battalion commander right to the commander in chief, they weren't executed on a whim every death sentence was given proper thought and consideration. Remember 90% were commuted Haig acted with input from the offenders officers all the way along the chain.

[andrewkenworthy]

the thing is , its the bodys and brains natural reaction to fear is to freeze or become immobile, icapable, its normal to not want to die and be afraid, those generals and officers that killed their own should have faced the same firing squads for murdering innocent people fooled into going to war to for their country and then are murdered. just sick. needless war sold on lies and scaremongering of civilian nations, kings and lords game of chess with mens lives. was nothing more.

[boum62]

@535006 So sad but true.  And guess what we have a similar bunch of politicians sending our young men to war to face bullets.

[jonwvin]

NO Australian Serviceperson has been excuted since the Bore war

[5872steve]

Those lads were Murdered " 15 minute court marshall, no representative of law, and no right of appeal. We even shot soldiers who were underage. And to think that Butcher Haigh looks down at us from his plinth in London celebrated as a war hero. It make"s me sick to my stomach.

[MrMike3865]

not bad acting

[Zeamus634]

@cd1690 In more recent times, such as in the execution of Ronnie Lee Gardner in Utah in the United States in 2010, a rifleman may be given a "dummy" cartridge containing wax instead of a bullet, which provides a more realistic recoil.

[cd1690]

@Zeamus634 My "research" is based on practical experience of firearms gained over many years service in the British Army. Including .303 Lee Enfield bolt action with both live and blank ammunition. There is much less recoil when firing blanks. The empty case after firing is also different between blank and live and as soon as the firer opened the bolt to eject the empty case it would be obvious (apart from the recoil, as mentioned). If you don't believe me; ask any ex-soldier